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Babies who are slow to gain weight can catch up by teens

A large-scale study has shown that infants who are slow to gain weight are usually within the normal height and weight range by the time they reach their teens.

Experts looked at 11,499 children born in the UK during the 1990’s, studying their early weight gain and BMI in subsequent years.

Of those studied, 507 children had poor weight gain in the first eight weeks of their lives, then began growing at a normal rate quite quickly and almost entirely caught up with their peers by the age of two.

This pattern was defined by researchers as ‘early weight gain problems’.

A second group, diagnosed with ‘late weight gain problems’ continued to put on weight at a reduced rate until they were seven years old, after which their weight gain increased until at 13 years they were within the normal range for their age.

The scientists concluded that for those who suffered early and late weight gain issues, both groups ended up with BMIs within the normal range.

Professor Alan Emond, who worked on the study has commented, “The findings highlight the importance of monitoring a baby’s weight and height gain during the first few weeks and months, but not creating anxiety with parents of slow growing babies.

“In the past, a lot of parents have been caused a lot of unnecessary anxiety by health professionals so this is a positive and reassuring message.”